Fragile roads and the lack of retaining walls and proper drainage are high on the list of challenges for
truck operators and owners.
Speaking at a September 17, 2020 meeting convened by Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Public Utilities, Energy, Transport and Implementation, they pointed out that overhanging vegetation affects their visibility and road safety, as well as causing damage to trucks.
Peter Charles, Engineering Assistant in the aforementioned Ministry, recognised the assistance from Grenlec and other operators in removing over hangings vegetation and appealed to other bucket truck operators to assist.
However, it was noted that landowners also have a responsibility to clear their over hangings and to desist from planting trees such as coconut, breadfruit and mango near the roadways to avoid over hangings and falling of fruits, which can be a significant threat to the motoring public and other road users.
Charles also appealed to truckers to clean the roadways of gravel, sand and concrete mix spillage as this causes significant road hazards and traffic delays.
The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) will be intensifying enforcement and appeals to road users to report such incidents immediately since all road users have a part to play in the preservation of the road network and ensuring the safety of all.
The truck drivers suggested the need for more stakeholder inclusion on the part of the Ministry when planning for the construction and refurbishment of the road network and also the need to have strategic planning for the road infrastructure in the country taking into account the development plans of the country.
The RGPF and the Ministry assured the truck operators/owners of the continued plan to work with the industry in resolving traffic and transport issues.
The Chief Technical Officer (CTO) in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Public Utilities, Energy, Transport and Implementation, Najar Andall, said that the recent slippage on the Moliniere road has proven to be a very challenging time for truck operators.
Andall noted that the Western Road Corridor is one of the main road networks for transporting goods across the island and is heavily traversed by truck operators on a daily basis.
Infrastructural work on the Western road corridor is scheduled to commence next year.
On the closure of the road on Marrast Hill, she stated it will be for a period of two months in order to facilitate the construction of a retaining wall and rigid pavement structure and foundational work.
CTO Andall also gave an update on Jones Road, which will see the commencement of work in the upcoming weeks on the construction of retaining walls and drains in the area and broken sections of the road will be repaired with asphalt.
The implementation of these works should not result in major disruption to the flow of traffic in the area. However, contingency traffic plans would be implemented if necessary.
Permanent Secretary Anna Brizan informed the meeting about the proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Act which speaks to the establishment and function of the Grenada Transport Authority.
She stated that the Bill will be circulated to them in the upcoming week and a virtual session will be held to facilitate their review and feedback.
The meeting was held at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium, Queen’s Park, St George’s.
